Mass Productions Audio, Video, Film Transfer Customer Testimonials

Jennifer Macdonald, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab
We recovered hundreds of deteriorating research videos on Umatic, Betacam, and VHS videotapes for MIT. Some of the videotapes were as old as 1976, which required baking and cleaning. Segments of these videos were featured on CBS 60 minutes. “Thank you for the terrific job you did with the Media Lab’s archiving project. I know transferring hundreds of videotapes—of varying format, and age—is no small feat, but you did so on time, under budget, and with a smile. Jimmy and I both appreciate your hard work and will reap the benefits of having the history of the Lab documented online. It will make telling our story much easier. I hope we get the chance to work together in the future. It was a pleasure.”-Jennifer

Joanne Riley, University Archivist and Curator, University of Massachusetts Boston
We restored and digitized the “Saturday Evening Girls” collection for Umass Boston. The collection consisted of 1/2″ black and white EIAJ video reels, Umatic and VHS videotapes. We also digitized DAT tapes, audio reels, cassettes, and Micro Cassettes. Umass was very pleased with our digitization services. “My thanks and appreciation for the fantastic job you did for us in digitizing the SEG materials! Right before the holiday break, our entire staff went through the set, checking the spreadsheet, listening to and watching the footage. We had a great time, and I was delighted with the overall quality of the digital audio and video. I was also impressed throughout the process with your professionalism and careful attention to detail in getting the best from tapes. I look forward to working with you in the future.”-Joanne

Aaron Lansky, President, National Yiddish Book Center, Amherst, MA
We recently completed restoring, digitizing, and archiving 1,500 audio reel to reel tapes and 279 cassettes. See their website about this project. “Library colleagues told us there was only one person who could properly restore, remaster and digitize these unique materials, and that was Paul Adams. For the past two years Paul has done just that – conscientiously, skillfully and meticulously. Thanks to his painstaking work, these long-lost, one-of-a-kind recordings are now restored, enhanced, and freely available online, where they are being enjoyed by listeners around the world. Paul has literally helped preserve the native voices of a nearly vanished world, and we all own him an enormous debt of gratitude”-Aaron. Listen to a sample below.

Kelsey Kerle-O’Brien, Special Assistant to the President-Charles River Conservancy
Mass Productions recently completed digitizing over 100 VHS, Mini DV, and audio cassette tapes to digital files for the Charles River Conservancy. These important videos contain the history of the Conservancy. The videos will be used for research purposes, as well as online access. “Mass Productions was extremely reliable and professional throughout every stage of the process. They were responsive to all calls and emails and came on site for pick-ups and deliveries on a timeline that worked with my schedule. The final product was well-organized and high quality. We are very excited to now have access to so many videos and audio files that we worried were lost to time!”

Douglas Fodeman-Director of Technology-Brookwood School
Mass Productions recently completed digitizing over 800 videotapes for the Brookwood School in Manchester, MA. We archived videos to hard drive of school events recorded on VHS, Digital 8mm, Mini DV, and HDV videotapes.“Brookwood School selected Mass Productions to help us with a major video archive project because we were impressed by their level of expertise to handle our project in a timely fashion. We needed to convert about 15 years worth of video tape to digital files. This included at least 5 different kinds of tape used over the years, and some of it required a lot of TLC! Mass Productions did a fantastic job!

Boston University Gotlieb Archives
Mass Productions was chosen as the best audio studio in Boston to restore and digitize historical sound recordings of Dr. Howard Thurman. Dr. Thurman was a mentor for Martin Luther King. These recordings exist on brittle recording tape starting in 1951. We are carefully repairing the tapes, and transferring them to high resolution digital files for the BU archives as well as online access. This project will lead the way for future archive and format migration projects at BU.

Longy School Of Music, Cambridge, MA
We have recently completed restoring, digitizing, and archiving 276 audio reel to reel tapes, as well as 63 Betamax PCM digital recordings. See the newsletter article. These unique recordings of beautiful classical music concerts and recitals go back almost 60 years. Some tapes were in poor condition, and required a great deal of restoration. The tape library features recordings of well known violinst, and previous Longy School President, Roman Totenberg. Roman just recently passed away at 101 years old. His final wishes was to preserve the schools audio archives and share them with the public. The performances are breathtaking, and we are very proud to have been chosen by the Longy School to do this exclusive project. Listen to a sample of our careful work below.

Alex Griswold, Executive Producer, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Hired us to transfer master videotapes, and raw camera footage from their science education department’s extensive archives. We converted the 23 year old Umatic and Betacam videotapes to digital video files for additional production, and made them reference DVDs. “Paul has done a number of transfers for us, he is very careful and the transfers are of the best quality. He can also save the files to a hard disk for electronic storage at the same time he makes the DVDs. He is very organized and pays attention to special instructions. We have used his services several times over the past couple of years and have always been happy with the results.”-Alex.

Michael Skrip, Associate Director Of Audiology, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary
Mass Eye and Ear had a very unique project for us. They had two 30 year old laserdiscs that were used daily to teach hearing impaired patients to read lips. They hired us to restore and transfer them to DVD before the player and discs wore out! We rescued these important videos, and created interactive DVDs for today’s technology.

Andrew Elder, Operations Coordinator, The History Project, Boston
Hired Mass Productions to transfer and restore 28 year old master tapes of the radio program “Boston’s Other Voice” from their archives to CD’s and streaming audio files for the web. View The Press ReleaseTheir next project will be transferring and restoring 20 year old Umatic and Betacam videotapes to DVD and flash video for the web.“Working with Paul was a nearly effortless process. Often, before I had the opportunity to ask an archival- and/or preservation-related question regarding the transfer process, Paul provided an answer. He is knowledgeable both about the transfer process and about the processes of preserving analog and digital recordings. This degree of understanding is of much importance to The History Project, a nonprofit, community-based archives. In addition, Paul was a pleasure to work with – and I look forward to continuing to benefit from his expertise in the future as we transfer additional materials from analog to digital formats, for use online and in our archives.”-Andrew

James Wallace, Music Director, The Putney School, Vermont
Contracted Mass Productions to digitize 500 rare Jazz records from the school’s music library. The digital files were then imported into iTunes, and a complete music database created. This allowed students to access the school’s Jazz music library from any computer on campus, as well as from home. It also preserved and protected the schools valuable record collection. The school hopes this project will pave the way to having their entire record library of over 6,000 titles converted to digital over the next few years.

Brad Bellows, Architect, Cambridge
Hired Mass Productions to transfer reel to reel recordings of his college rock band. “I want to thank you again for all the care and attention you took with the transfer of our 40 year old sound recordings…One thing I especially appreciated, was the way you patiently checked the condition of the tape, both physically and musically, before the transfer, to identify critical issues and potential solutions. Rather than just slapping them on a deck and burning a copy, as I’m sure many other transfer companies would have done. This conscientiousness and communicativeness is absolutely invaluable in projects of this kind.”

Marian Brehm, Boston
Hired us to preserve her family’s history. We transferred her one of a kind cassettes and VHS tapes to CD and DVD, and made copies for her children and grandchildren. Read Marian’s letter of recommendation for Mass Productions. JPG

Mike Pojman, Boston
“I just wanted to tell you how happy I am with the tape to CD transfer of my play. It turned out great! The clarity is fantastic. It has been quite a thrill listening to a show I haven’t heard for 38 years. Thanks for your help and professionalism. I have already recommended you to two friends, both of whom plan to contact you soon.”

Bobby Jorgensen, Boston
Bobby was referred very highly to our services by a previous client. She had us transfer some microcassttes of family interviews, and an audiotape of a operetta her son played lead role in 1968. An unexpected reunion occured 41 years later because of our work. Read her letter. JPG

Nancy Pond-Smith and Richard Drinkwater, Boston
Richard had a one of a kind record of his mother, Alta Drinkwater, one of the first opera singers in Boston to peform Madame Buttefly. Nancy hired us to transfer the record, remove noise, and put it onto CD. The finished CD was given to Richard on his birthday. One of the songs was then played at his daughters wedding!